Apparatus for loading wheeled vehicles and stocking-out material unloaded therefrom



y 1944. H F. H. SAHIELDS 2,353,972

APPARATUS FOR LOADING WHEELED VEHICLES AND STOCKING-OUT MATERIALUNLOADED THEREFROM Filed Feb. 10, 1945 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR BYW.M*2

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y 4- 4 H. F. H. SHIELDS i ,3 APPARATUS FORLOADING WHEELED VEHICLES AND I'STQCKING-OUT MATERIAL UNLQADED THEREFROM Filed Feb. 10, 1943 8Sheets-Sheet 2 July 18, 1944. H. F. H. SHIELDS 2,353,972

APPARATUS FOR LOADING WHEELED VEHICLES AND STOCKING-OUT MATERIALUNLOADED THEREFROM Filed Feb. 10, 1945 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 18, 1944. IH. F. H. SHIELDS 2,353,972

1 APPARATUS FOR LOADING WHEELED VEHICLES AND A STOCKING-OUT MATERIALUNLOADED .THEREFROM Filed Feb. 10,1943

APPARATUS FOR LOADING WHEELED VEHICLES AND Jl lly 18, 1944. H L I2,353,972

STOCKING-OUT MATERIAL UNLOADED THEREFROM Filed Feb. 10, 1943Sheets-Sheet 5 I II I? I. Umfill 7*? [i i WI 3 d H. F. H..SHIELDS2,353,972

APPARATUS FOR LOADING WHEELED VEHICLES AND STOCKING OUT MATERIALUNLOADED THERE FROM July 18, 1944.

8 Sheets-Shet a Filed Feb. 10 1943 m W WWQ a 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 H. F. H.SHIELDS OUT MATERIAL UNLOADED THEREFROM Filed Feb. 10

APPARATUS FOR LOADING WHEELED VEHICLES AND STOCKING July 18, 1944.

y 1944-- Q H F H. SIHIELDS 2,353,972 I APPARATUS FOR .LOA'DING WHEELEDVEHICLES AND STOCKING-OUT MATERIAL UNLOADED- THEREFROM Filed Feb. 10,1943 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Patented July 18, 1944 APPARATUS FOR LOADINGWHEELED VE- HICLES AND STOCKING-OUT -MATERIAL UNLOADED THEREFROM HerbertFrederick Henry Shields, London,

England Application February 10, 1943, Serial No.-475,422 In GreatBritain February 10, 1942 7 1 10 Claims. 214-110) v This inventionrelates to apparatus of the drag scraper type for use in loading wheeledvehicles, such as railway wagons, with fragmentary material of variouskinds, such as coal, gravel and th like, or for use in stocking-out suchmaterial, hereinafter referred to generally as coal, removed from loadedwheeled vehicles, or for both said uses. The invention also relates tomethods of loading wheeled vehicles with coal,

and stocking-out coal from loaded wheeled ve-" hicles, by means ofapparatus of the drag scraper type.

In plant used heretofore for reclaiming coal from dumps a travellingloader of th drag scraper type has been arranged to run on one pair ofrails of a rail-track, and the coal wagons have run towards and awayfrom the loader on an adjacent pair of rails of a second, track,vinorder that the loader when not in use, should not interfere with therunning of the coal wagons on their track. Similarly, if the plant wasalso used for making dumps for the purpose of stocking the coal, theloaded coal wagon were run on one pair of rails to a fixed unloadingstation where they were unloaded, and travelling apparatus of the dragscraper type ran on a second independent pair for stocking-out theunloaded coal.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate the necessity ofproviding two distinct tracks spaced laterally away from one another,one for the loading or stocking-out apparatus of the drag scraper type,and the second for the wagons, and to provide an improved constructionof such apparatus for use in reclaiming and stocking-out coal.

According to a feature of the invention there is provided apparatus foruse in loading wheeled vehicles, or for use in stocking-out coal removedfrom loaded vehicles, or for both said uses, comprising a main framethat is arranged to travel along a ground track, in combination with apair of rails constituting an upper track that is arranged to lie aboveand travel on the ground track, and has end portions constitutin rampsthat slope downwards to rails on the ground track. The upper track willbe relatively short, and when used for loading of stocking-out coal thetwo tracks are arranged in superposed relation, as the wagons tobeloaded or unloaded will always pass on the upper track; the spacebetween this and the ground track may be used for accommodating part ofthe main frame,-and if necessary the main frame may travel on the samerails on the ground track as the upper track. As compared with theformer lay-out with the two ground rail-tracks arranged laterally spacedapart one from another, theimprov'ed arrangement results in a veryconsiderable saving in cost in; laying out the plant, and also enablesimproved methods of operating the plant, as described hereinaften'to beused, I I I The main frame is preferably ofarched construction, and theup er track-preferably extends through it. Y a

The mobile main frame may be arranged'to traveleither on the same railson the ground track as doesthe uppertrack, or on; one of these rails andon a third rail .on the ground track, or on a pair'of rails on theground track wider or narrower than those of the upper track.

The upper track may be carried whollyor partly y the main frame, and ifdesired a middle portion of it maybe carried by a wheeled truck arrangedto run on the ground track.

According to another feature of the invention, in loading apparatus ofthe drag scraper type as set forth above having a coal ramp pivotallymounted on the main frame above the upper track, provision may be madefor slewing and lifting-the coal ramp by means comprising an universal.joint device, as described hereinafter, preferablysituatedat or nearone endof the coal ramp.

Conveniently a jib adapted to be slewed on the main frame is providedwith lifting means fo raising and lowering the coal ramp. 7

Power-operated means for actuating the drag scraper, for moving the coalramp, and for driv-. ing the main frame along the ground track may bemounted on the main frame and form an unitary structure therewith. v

Other features of the invention relate to-means for lifting the coa1ramp, and to means for traversing the back-haul rope of a'scraper bucketacross the front of the main frame.

The invention also provides a method of loading wheeled vehicles withcoal by means of a mobile apparatus of the drag scraper type arranged torun on a rail-track, and a method of stocking-out coal from loadedwheeled Vehicles by means of a mobile apparatus of the drag c aper typeas described hereinafter.

One embodiment of the invention, and modifications thereof, arediagrammatically illustrated y W y of example in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein: v v

Figures 1a and 1b. are side elevations. showing one construction ofapparatus according to the invention comprising an upper track for useinloading wheeled vehicles and stocking-out material contained in loadedwheeled vehicles, and

Figures 2a and 2b are corresponding plan views thereof;

Figure 3 is an elevation showin a modified construction of part of theapparatus comprising a wheeled trucksupporting the middle portion of theupper track, and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the parts shown in Figure 3;

Figures 5 and 6 are respectively end elevation,

and vertical section taken on the line 6-45 in Figure 5, showing anuniversal joint connecting a coal ramp with a main frame of theapparatus;

Figures 7 and 8. are sectional end elevations showing two modifiedarrangements of rails on a ground track, on which the loader runs;

Figures 9 and 10 are, respectively, detail plan view, and frontelevation, showing one form of mechanism for traversing on the mainframe a pulley round which the back-haul rope of the drag scraper devicepasses, and

Figures 11 and 12 are, respectively, detail plan view, and frontelevation, showing a modified construction of traversing mechanism forthe movable pulley of the back-haul rope.

Like reference characters designate like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the drawings, apparatus of the drag scraper type forloading railway wagons comprises a loader having a gantry-like mainframe, designated generally I0, of arched construction, a coal ramp I2pivotally mounted as described hereinafter on the main frame, and a dragscraper I I3 in the form of a bucket for either scraping the materialinto the ramp, or conveying it away from the loader to form a dump. Thisframe I0 which is rectangular as viewed in plan and in end elevation,and has two longitudinal sides I4, I6, and two ends I8, 20, has twoswivelling bogies I3, I5, respectively provided with wheels I1, I9,arranged to run on rails 22 of a ground track 23 comprising sleepersI23, on which rails 22 empty and loaded wagons can run to, through andfrom the loader as described hereinafter. Levelling andload-distribution means in the form of hydraulic or manually-operablejacks 24 may be provided at the ends of the frame I 0, and/or if desiredalong one or both sides thereof, for distributing the load when workingand for levelling the main frame.

The loader frame I'll is provided with a short upper track having amiddle portion 28, and two end portions 38, 32 constituting ramps thatare hinged or pivoted respectively, preferably so as to swing abouthorizontal and vertical axes, at 3| and 33 to the middle portion 28 andslope downwards to the rails 22 of the ground track 23. This upper track28, 30, 32, which is the same gauge as the rails 22, may be carried onend transverse girders I8, 20 of the frame I0, as well as on othertransversebeams 3! situated between the ends of the frame.

Alternatively, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the middle portion 28 of theupper track may be carried by a wheeled truck 39, which may be eithercoupled at its ends to, or be free in the main frame, has two swivelbogies AI, 43 with wheels 45, 41, respectively, arranged to run on therails 22 of the ground track 23. Owing to the loader frame I0, and thetruck 39 being provided with swivel bogies they are both well adaptedfor passing over railway points and crossings, and travelling roundcurves.

The coal ram-p I2 is mounted on the frame I 0 by means comprising anuniversal joint desi nated generally 38, described hereinafter, so as toswing up and down, and also laterally, from a central position shown infull lines in Figure 2a, towards opposite sides to lateral positionsindicated in broken lines in that figure. As shown in Figures 5 and 6,this universal joint 38 comprises two elements 40, 42 rotatable at rightangles to one another. The element 40 in the form of a rectangular blockis rotatable about a horizontal axis and has two trunnions or pivots 44journalled in two upright bearing brackets 46, 48

carried by a frame member 50. The element 42, which has the form of anaxle having collars 52, 5 1 keyed on its opposite ends, is rotatable inthe element 40 and extends through a transverse member 56 at the upperend portion of the coal ramp I2, which member 56 lies at the side of theframe I0 remote from the mouth II2 of the coal ramp.

The coal ramp I2 has an outlet 53 (see Figure 2a) in its upper portionwhich is situated within the frame It! and lies at an obtuse angle tothe lower portion of the ramp, which outlet 58 serves for delivering thematerial to an empty wagon indicated in broken lines at 60 on the upperpair of rails 28. The lower portion of the coal ramp I2 is flared toform the mouth I I2, and in some cases this mouth portion may be hingedto swing vertically away from and towards the ground, so as to move outof the way when the scraper bucket I I3 is being used for conveying coalunloaded from the wagons to a dump 62.

The bucket H3 is attached by chains at the front and rear to a haulagerope designated generally 64. This rope, which is driven bypoweroperated means on the loader described hereinafter, is led aroundtwo sheaves 66 that are supported on a travelling tail tower 68, whichmay carry concrete ballast indicated in broken lines at I0, and haswheels II arranged to travel along rails 12; The power-operated meansfor driving the rope 64 comprises a winch I l having two drums I6 and I8driven by an electric motor 19. Assuming that, as illustrated in Figures1a and 2a, an empty wagon 60 is being loaded, the inhaul run of the ropepasses over a central sheave 82 in a block slung from a bracket I83 onthe rear of the frame I3, and is connected to the drum I6. The back-haulrun 84 which has its end connected to the back-haul drum 78, passes fromthe latter up and down over a pulley 36, over a pulley 8I to two pulleys83, 85 at one end of the frame I0, and then round two pulleys 8'5, 88spaced apart on the front of the frame at opposite sides of the centrethereof below the coal ramp I2 in its elevated position, which pulley 88is journalled in a bearing bracket 9! that may be fixed on, or movablealong a supporting member 98 in the form of a beam on the front of theframe Ill. By driving the drums I6 and I8 in the appropriate direction,the scraper bucket H3 can be hauled in both directions, either whenreclaiming by scraping coal from the dump 52 up the ramp I2 for deliverythrough its outlet 58 to a wagon 50 as shown in Figures la to 2b, orwhen stocking-out by conveying coal to form the dump 62 from coal thathas been removed from a loaded wagon on the middle portion 28 of theupper rails to form a heap IE2 at the front side of the framellfl. Sucha loaded wagon 60 situated on the upper rails 28 may be unloaded in anyconvenient manner, for example by hand, or by unloadingmeans describedin the British Patent Specification No. 1,765/42 (Serial No. 558,181),but such unloading means do not form part of the present invention.

When using the described apparatus for stocking-out, the coal I2 will beelevated, and the scraper bucket II3 will have itschains attached to theback-haul run 84 of the rope; to enable the bucket to remove the coalfrom various parts of the heap I62 along its length at the front side ofthe main frame, the pulley 88 is so mounted that it can be traversedalong the front side'of the main frame. 5

As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the movable pulley 88 is journalled in aU-shaped member I82 which is itself pivoted at I03 in the arms of theU-shaped bearing bracket -9'I' so that the pulley 88 is movable abouttwo axes situated at right angles one to the other. The, bearing bracket91 is mounted on a screwthreaded spindle I06 which is journalled on thebeam 98 that extends along the main frame NJ at a situation below thecoal ramp I2 when the latter is in its elevated position. This spindleI06 may be arranged to be rotated manually, but, as illustrated, one endcarries a sprocket wheel I88 connected by an endless chain I I 0 with adriving sprocket III driven by a motor H4. The back-haul rope 84 afterpassing round the pulley 88 is led round the end pulley 81, and thepulleys 85, 83, 8| and so to the back-haul drum I8 of the winch 14.

Figures 11 and 12 show a modified arrangement of traversing means forthe pulley 88, in which the bearing bracket 91 slidable along thesupport 98 is arranged to be moved mechanically by a member 6, such as achain or rope, which passes round two end pulleys H8 and I28 at the endsof the support 98, and two idler pulleys I22, I24, and has its endsattached to opposite sides of the bearing bracket 91. The pulley H8 maybe driven by a coaxial sprocket wheel I26 and a chain I28 by means of amotor, as described above with reference to Figures 9 and 10, forshifting the pulley 88 along the front of the main frame. c

Power-operated means comprising a capstan 98 (see Figure 2a) driven byan electric motor 92 is provided for moving the loader along the groundtrack 22 by means of a capstan rope 94' having its end anchored at anyconvenient posie tion. This rope 94 passes round a pulley 9I and roundone of two other pulleys 93, 95 at opposite ends of the frame I0according to the direction of travel of the entire machine. I I

Means for lifting and lowering the coal ramp I2 comprises a central jib96 mounted on the top of the frame III. This jib, which is substantiallytriangular as viewed in plan, and has one end pivoted at II! to swingabout a vertical axis at the top of the rear of the frame I0, issupported between its ends by wheels 99 on an arcuate rail I00, andcarries at its outer end lifting gear designated generally I32. Thislifting gear may be driven by an electric motor I34 on theLoutboard endof the jib 95 which drives, by means of reduction gearing I35, a shaftI38 carrying two drums I40, I42 each provided with a set ofblock-and-pulley tackle I44, one set at each side of the coal ramp I2.In some cases, however, manually operable block-and-pulley tackle may beused for lifting and lowering the coal'ramp. The coal ramp I2 and thejib member 96 can be slewed manually from their central position to alateral position at either side thereof through an angle of about 45.Alternatively, powercoal ramp and jib. I

The power means comprising the winches I4 and I8 is accommodated in apower house I46 on a" platform at the rear of the frame I8, while acabinI" on air-elevated platform at the front side of the frame I0 containsthe controls of the drag-scraper .winch I4 operating the scraper bucketII3, the controls of the jacks 24, if operated hydraulically, andcontrols of the electric motor I34, if provided, for lifting andlowering the. coal ramp I2, and the controls of the electric motor II4,if provided, for traversing the pulley 88 of the back-haul run of thedrag-scraper rope.

In the construction described above the main frame I8 is arranged totravel on the same rails 22 of the ground track as does the upper track28, 30, 32, but'in some cases the rails of the ground track on which'themain frame I0 travels need not be the sam gauge as the upper track.Figure '7 shows such a modified arrangement, in which the main frame IIItravels on one of the same rails 22 of the ground track as does theupper track, and on a third rail 224 on the ground track, the groundrail-track on which the main frame runs being of wider gauge than theground rail-track 22, on which the upper rail-track 28, 30, 32 runs.This arrangement provides a wider wheel base for the main frame III withthe attendant advantages thereof.

Alternatively, as shown in Figure 8, the railtrack 22, on which theupper track 28, 38, 32 travels, may be distinct from, and. of narrowergauge than a parallel-pair of rails 226 of the ground track. on whichthe wheels I! of the main frame I0 run. In some cases, the main framemay be arranged to travel on a pair of ground-track rails which liesbetween and is of narrower gauge than the rails of the upper track, butthis arrangement is not preferred.

When the described apparatus is to be used for loading empty railwaywagons, they will be run,

successively up either sloping ramp 30 or 32 to a loading position on totheupper rails 28 for receiving through the opening 58 in the loweredramp I2 coal that has been conveyed up the latter by the scraper bucketH3, and the loaded wagons can then run on to the ground track at v theopposite end of the frame from the loading position. When the describedapparatus is to be used for stocking-out coal from loaded wagons on theupper rails 28, they will be run in succession along the ground rails 22to an unloading position on the upper track. whereupon they will be funloaded in any convenient manner to form the temporary heap I62 at thefront side of the frame, and the coal forming the heap will bev scrapedaway by the bucket II3 to form the dump 62 while the coal ramp I2 islifted out of the way of the bucket, the empty wagons being then runaway from the unloading position along the ground rails 22. Theinvention thus provides a method of loading wheeled vehicles with coalby means of the described apparatus of the drag scraper type arranged totravel with a portion of rail-track, on which the loaded vehicles tobeemptied and the emptied vehicles run on the same track. It will beappreciated that when loading or stocking-out coal, the describedtraydriven means may be provided for slewing the elling apparatus formsno obstruction to the transit of either empty or full wagons along therails 22 of the ground track when the described apparatus is not beingused for either of these loading or unloading operations, although onlyone ground track is provided for the empty and full wagons.

Various modifications may be made in the details of constructiondescribed above without departing from the invention. For example, theoutlet opening 58 in the upper part of the ramp may constitute the mouthof a hopper device which extends below it towards the upper track 'onthe frame [0.

' I claim:

' 1. Apparatus of the character described for use in loading wheeledvehicles with fragmentary material; comprising in combination a mainversely one'of the other at a situation offset from the centrallongitudinal vertical plane of the pparatus of the character describedfor use in loading wheeled vehicles with fragmentary material, and foruse in stocking-out frag-' mentary material removed from loadedvehicles, comprising in combination a main frame arranged'to travelalong a ground track, an upper rail track that is arranged to lie abovethe ground track, and has end portions constituting ramps that slopedownwards to cooperate with rails on the ground track, and means of thedrag-scraper type comprising a loading ramp that is pivoted on themainframe above the upper track to swing about the horizontal axis ofpivotinalfor loadingvehicles situated on the upper track withfragmentary material, a jib mounted on the main frameabove the loadingramp, and lifting means carried by the jib arranged to raise and lowerthe loading ramp.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the lifting meanscomprises an electric motor, and lifting tackle operable thereby mountedon an outboard portion of the jib.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the lifting meanscomprises two sets of lifting tackle carried by the jib and connected tothe loading ramp at opposite sides thereof, an electric motor on thejib, and gearing arranged to be driven by the motor and to drive bothsetsof tackle in unison.

5. Apparatus of the character described for use in loading wheeledvehicles with fragmentary.

material, and for use in stocking-out fragmentary mater'ial removed fromloaded vehicles, comprising .in combination a main frame arranged totravel along a ground track, an upper rail track that is arranged to lieabove the ground track, and has end portions constituting ramps thatslope-downwards to cooperate with rails on the ground track, and meansof the drag-scraper type for stocking-out fragmentary material that hasbeen unloaded from vehicles situated on the upper track,'which means:comprises *a'power-driven rope, a drag-scraper device attached thereto,a pulley that is mounted to move bodily on the main frame and has aback-haul run of the rope passing round it, and means for traversing thepulley on the main frame ina direction lying transversely of thedirection of length of that portion of the back-haul run of the ropewhich lies between the drag-scraper device'and the pulley.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim '5, wherein the traversingmeanscomprises a bearing block that is mounted on the mainframe to move' i n'said traversing direction, and pivotally carries said pulley, and arotatable screw-threaded spin; dle that is journalled on the main frameis at ranged to traverse the bearing block.

7. Apparatus asset forth in claim 5, wherein the traversing meanscomprises a bearing block that is movable on the main frame in saiddirejc tion, and pivotally carries said pulley, and a meg tor-drivenmember arranged to traverse the said bearing block in the traversingdirection.

8. Apparatus of the character described for use in loading wheeledvehicles with fragmentary, material, comprising in combination .a main,frame arranged to travel along a ground track,.. an upper rail trackthat is arranged to lie above, the ground track, and has end portionsconstituting ramps that slope downwards to bear on rails on the groundtrack, and means of the dragscraper type for loading vehiclessituated onthe upper track with fragmentary material, which means comprises aloading ramp that is pivotally mounted on the main frame to movevertically and horizontally in relation thereto, power-operated meansfor actuating the drag-scraper means, and power-operated means forlifting and lowering the loading ramp, both of which power-operatedmeans are mounted on-the main frame and form a unitary structuretherewith.

9. Apparatus of the character described for. use in loading wheeledvehicles with fragmentary material, comprising in combination. amainframe arranged to travel along a ground track having three rails, anupper rail track that is ar-- ranged to lie above a pair of rails ofthe, ground track, and has end portions constituting'ramps that slopedownwards for bearing onthe said pair of rails, and means carried by,the main frame for use in loading vehicles situated on the upper trackwith fragmentary material, which frame has wheels arranged to travel onone of the said pair of rails on the ground track, and on a third railon the ground track.

10. Apparatus of the character described for -use in loading wheeledvehicles with fragmentary upper track.

HERBERT FREDERICK HENRY SHIELDS.

